Nik shook his. “She loves you. Don’t know why, but I’ve never known Eos to love anyone. And I have to say the same about you, little brother.”
Dathan blinked and lowered the bottle. “I don’t know what love is. Mom and Dad were hardly a good example.”
“You’ve spent a lifetime trying to prove you aren’t like our father. This is the first time I’ve seen you follow in his footsteps.”
Jesus.Dathan’s gut churned, Nik’s words hitting hard. He stared at the bottle in his hand in horror.
“Where’s theMona Lisa, Dathan?” Nik asked.
Hunching his shoulders again, Dathan looked away. “What’s that got to do with anything?”
“Where is it?”
Dathan let out a breath. “I snuck it into Eos’ bag.”
“You gave away a trillion e-cred artifact?” Zayn’s eyes goggled. “The legendary treasure hunter Dathan Phoenix gave away his greatest prize.”
The piece of painted wood hadn’t been his greatest prize. “We still have the treasure hidden on the ship. That alone is worth a fortune.”
“Giving up theMona Lisa.” Nik clamped a hand on his shoulder. “That, my man, is love.”
The kila bottle fell from Dathan’s fingers and clattered on the grating. “I messed up.”
“Yep,” Zayn said cheerfully.
“I should never have let her go.”
“No,” Nik agreed.
“We have to turn around.” Dathan shot to his feet. The heavy weight holding him down lifted. He felt energy bursting inside him. “I have to go get her.”
BEll made a huffing sound. “About time.” The ship started a wide turn. “It’s been excruciating watching you be an idiot.”
Dathan dropped back into his chair. “What if she won’t have me back?”
Nik slapped Dathan’s back. “Brother, you’re the best in the galaxy for hunting down treasure. My money’s on you finding this one.”
Eos watched theInfinitasleave.
She bit down on her trembling bottom lip, her chest hollow. She felt like another piece of her heart had been carved out.
She stared blindly around her spacious cabin on theOdysseybefore her gaze was drawn back to the window.Beta7 filled the view. A team of astro-archeologists and a security detail were on the surface with the treasure.
She’d been invited to join them, but hadn’t been able to muster much enthusiasm.
Yes, because moping and feeling sorry for yourself is a much more productive use of your time.
She shot to her feet and grabbed her bag. Unpacking might take her mind off things.
She opened the bag. She gasped.
Slowly, she withdrew theMona Lisa.
Oh, Dathan. She hugged it to her chest. The stupid man did love her.
Clutching the fragment, she strode down the corridor. She had zero chance of convincing Diego to break orbit and abandon the treasure of the New Louvre to follow theInfinitas.
She reached a junction. One corridor leading to the bridge. The other to the escape pods. Fully programmable pods.
